Belgium Published Patent Application No. 772697 refers to a device having at least one upper-plate intended to support a wheel and linked to a movement-system to make this upper-plate move, so that at least a moment or momentum is generated on the wheel, according to the transversal or longitudinal direction of the vehicle and/or the plane.
Although the device may be suited to examine the play of wheel-parts, it is believed that the examination of the play of some parts was insufficient.
There was therefore a need for simple and safe mechanism for generating a movement of a supporting arrangement or support plate in the three orthogonal directions.
The device according to the invention enables precise movement in the three directions, as well as in a combination thereof.
The device of the invention, when used for examining a play of a movable or rotating elements, such as the play of wheel or piece connected to a wheel, enables a more efficient examination by the use of an additional movement-dimension. This third dimension has a vertical variable amplitude, generating a progressive operation between the actuator plate and the tire. As a result of the creation of this new device, the subject of which corresponds to the above disclosed, i.e. a first purpose of the invention, new application possibilities are brought about.
Other possible purposes of the invention are the following:
a second possible purpose of the invention consists in a device capable of directing a vehicle to a measuring instrument in a conform direction.
a third possible purpose of the invention consists in a device capable of examining plays on parts of the steering-gear.
a fourth possible purpose of the invention consist in a device capable of measuring braking-forces on a wheel.
a fifth possible purpose of the invention consists in device capable of realising at least two of the above mentioned possible purposes of the invention.
A sixth possible purpose of the invention consists in device capable of making precise adjustment (horizontal, vertical and longitudinal) of a working table.
So, the device of this invention is capable of detecting several plays of parts which make wheels rotate or pivotment (swing) around respectively a fixed axle or a steering shaft.
Those plays are:
play in the transversal direction of a wheel: the upper-plate follows the transversal direction;
play in the longitudinal direction of a wheel: the upper-plate follows the longitudinal direction;
play in the vertical direction of a wheel: the upper-plate follows the vertical direction.
In the device of the invention the supporting arrangement (especially the upper-plate) may move in two orthogonal directions (for example, in a horizontal plane) with or without displacement in a third orthogonal direction (for example, vertical displacement). The displacement in the third orthogonal direction of the supporting arrangement or upper-plate is obtained by a specific mechanism causing the movement as a result of one or more movements in the first and/or second orthogonal direction (for example, transversal and/or longitudinal direction).
The device includes a supporting arrangement, such as an upper-plate, which is movable in the third orthogonal direction (direction perpendicular to the two other perpendicular directions) by one or several operations of the movement-system, whereby the mechanism contains at least following elements:
a ball-housing with a ball;
a threshold-block with a bearing-surface, on which the ball rests, whereby the bearing-surface of the threshold-block has at least an inclined surface (for example, a plurality of surfaces) so that, by an operation of the movement-system, the ball moves on one or several inclined surfaces. The inclined surface(s) is (are) designed so that there is a slope causing a movement in the third orthogonal direction (variable Z, more specifically vertical direction) of the supporting arrangement.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the inclined surface(s) is (are) designed so that there is a slope causing the movement of the upper-plate in the third orthogonal direction (such as vertical), as well as in the first and/or second direction (such as transversal and/or longitudinal direction).
According to another exemplary embodiment, the mechanism (by which the supporting arrangement or upper-plate may be moved in the third orthogonal direction) comprises at least the following elements:
a first ball-housing with a first ball;
a second ball-housing with a second ball;
a first threshold-block with a bearing surface on which the first ball rests, and
a second threshold-block with a bearing surface on which the second ball rests, whereby the bearing surfaces of the first and second threshold-block have inclined surfaces so that, by an operation of the movement-system, the first ball moves on one or several inclined surfaces of the first threshold-block, while the second ball is moving on one or several inclined surfaces of the second threshold-block, and whereby the inclined surfaces present a suitable slope so that the supporting arrangement or upper-plate is movable in the third orthogonal direction, for example, in the first and second direction (such as transversal and longitudinal direction) as well. This movement of the supporting arrangement or upper-plate in the third orthogonal direction may be coupled with a rotation or a pivotment of the supporting arrangement or upper-plate, for example, with respect to an axis perpendicular to a vertical plane. To obtain this rotation or pivotment, the slope of, e.g. the bearing surface, of the first threshold-block is different from the slope of the bearing surface of the second threshold-block.
For example, the mechanism (by which the supporting arrangement or upper-plate may be moved in the third orthogonal direction) comprises at least following elements:
a first ball-housing with a first ball;
a second ball-housing with a second ball;
a third ball-housing with a third ball;
a fourth ball-housing with a fourth ball;
a first threshold-block with a bearing surface supporting the first ball;
a second threshold-block with a bearing surface supporting the second ball;
a third threshold-block with a bearing surface supporting the third ball;
a fourth threshold-block with a bearing surface supporting the fourth ball, whereby the bearing surfaces of the threshold-blocks have inclined surface(s) so that, by an operation of the movement-system, each ball moves on one or several inclined surfaces of one threshold-blocks, and whereby the inclined surfaces of the threshold-blocks are designed in so that a slope is present in the first and second direction (such as in the transversal and longitudinal direction), said slope causing the movement in the third orthogonal direction (variable Z, such in the vertical direction) of the supporting arrangement or upper-plate, as well as the movement in the first and second orthogonal direction, such as in the transversal and longitudinal direction (with or without rotation or pivotment of the supporting arrangement or upper-plate).
The mechanism of a supporting arrangement or upper-plate may also comprise more than 4 ball-housings and more than 4 threshold-blocks. The use of more than 4 ball-housings may be advantageous for a supporting arrangement or upper-plates intended to support heavy charges, for example for detecting the play of wheels from heavy vehicles.
With another exemplary embodiment comprising more than two supporting arrangements or plates (e.g. 4 or more) one may simultaneously or separately move the supporting arrangement or upper-plates, for example, in the third orthogonal direction (such as in the vertical direction), as well as in the first and second orthogonal direction (such as the transversal and longitudinal direction), with or without rotation or pivotment. Herewith the base of a piece, such as a heavy piece, for example of a wheelbase of a vehicle may be adjusted so that an appropriate position of the piece or vehicle may be obtained for the check of a characteristic, such as height, position of holes, etc. but, for example, for checking head- and cross-lights.
If each bottom-plate or supporting arrangement is mounted on a rotating base plate or if the bottom-plates (e.g. the four bottom-plates) or supporting arrangement are mounted on a rotating base-plate, the possibility to introduce an additional movement (rotation-movement) also exists. In this way, one may rotate the four plates or supporting arrangement so that, e.g. a piece or vehicle may be positioned or adjusted perpendicularly with respect to a predetermined axis or a symmetry axis.
The mechanism of an upper-plate or supporting arrangement may also comprise more than 4 ball-housings and more than 4 threshold-blocks. The use of more than 4 ball-housings depends on the dimensions of the device, as well as on the extent of the load, such as the wheel-load. The dimensions of the device may be chosen according to the kind of controls to be done: Control of passenger-cars, trucks or air-planes.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, the inclined surfaces of the threshold-blocks show a suitable slope, so that the upper-plate remains almost horizontal during a vertical movement of the upper-plate.
To detect the play of wheels on the same axle, the device has at least two upper-plates (e.g. four upper-plates: front-axle+rear axle) each coupled to a mechanism with threshold-blocks and ball-housings.
According to still another exemplary embodiment, at least one or several balls and ball-housings bear the upper-plate or supporting arrangement, said balls moving on their respective threshold-blocks, whereby any movement of the upper-plate or supporting arrangement follows the relief of the threshold-blocks.
The movement-system comprise e.g. at least one cylinder acting on the ball-housing or on an element connected to the ball-housing, to move the ball on the threshold-block.
For example, the movement-system comprises two cylinders. A first cylinder acts on a gliding-frame in a first direction, for example, the longitudinal direction (direction parallel to the symmetry-axis of a vehicle). Inside the gliding-frame there is a middle- or intermediate plate, following the same direction.
A second cylinder is carried by the above mentioned gliding-frame and is directly coupled to the intermediate plate, that may move in a second direction, for example, perpendicular to the first direction, for example, in the transversal direction.
In the holes, for example, the circular holes, of the intermediate plate, the ball-housings of the upper-plate move in a vertical direction, in accordance with the place of the balls which they occupy on the threshold-blocks.
According to yet another exemplary embodiment, the movement-system has a pneumatic circuit with two pneumatic cylinders, effecting the movement of the gliding-frame and the movement of the intermediate plate. The device may be equipped with an oil-circuit with at least one cylinder acting as a blocking-arrangement, for example, so that the balls, in any given position on an inclined plane, may maintain their position in the transversal and/or longitudinal direction.
By moving the supporting arrangement or upper-plate exclusively horizontally in the longitudinal direction, an interesting use may be made of this movement to measure braking-forces on a wheel. It is sufficient to provide the supporting arrangement or upper-plate with a material with a high friction-coefficient. The braking forces may be measured in different ways as for example hydraulically or electronically.
In addition the supporting arrangement or upper-plate may be provided with a buffer-rib. By a transversal movement of the supporting arrangement or upper-plate, one may obtain a changing swing-position of the wheels, that may be used to examine the play on parts of the steering-gear of a vehicle. Here also a progressive effect is a positive element.
Characteristics and details of the invention are given in the annexed conclusions and/or will result from the following description, in which reference is made to the attached drawings.